NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 96
Bristol Temple Meads 11.09.1964
Michael L. Roach
In Part 94 I described how I left Castle Cary on the 15.00 Weymouth to Bristol Temple Meads. In 1964 the whole journey took 2h 41mins by DMU. Currently the best trains take 2h 20mins for the 87 miles. I was at BTM for about 70 minutes at teatime, when despite the DMU’s which had been around for years, there was still some steam on local trains to Gloucester, Bath Green Park and Westbury. I was there to catch the 18.50 to Westbury behind Hall-class no. 4992 Crosby Hall of 82E Bristol Barrow Road. The engine had previously been at 82B St. Phiilips Marsh. Much earlier the engine had been at Laira (1949), Newton Abbot (1957), Exeter (1958) and Taunton (1960).
The 18.50 was a limited stop service stopping only at Bath Spa, Bradford-on-Avon and Trowbridge being allowed 65 minutes for the 28 miles, including 4 mins at Bath and 6 at Trowbridge. The train passed another steam passenger train between Bradford and Trowbridge. That was the 19.20 from Westbury to Temple Meads which stopped at every station and halt yet took only 49 minutes. It was an uneventful journey for me and the only thing of note was that three bogie parcels vans were picked up at Trowbridge. I think that these would have been loaded in the up bay platform and that 4992 would have left it's four coaches in the up platform while it collected the parcel vans and attached them to the front of the train.
The County of Wiltshire has been famous for its dry-cure method of curing bacon for hundreds of years. It was around 250 years ago that one John Harris opened the world's first commercial bacon factory in Calne which later had a branch line to Chippenham on the GWR mainline. His firm later became the well-known C. & T. Harris (Calne) Ltd and if one firm could be said to have popularised bacon it was Harris's. The firm had factories all over the West Country and beyond, including at Redruth and Totnes. One of Harris's Wiltshire factories was located just 100 metres from the forecourt of Trowbridge railway station.
The GWR and BR Siphon vans were originally designed for the transport of milk in churns but as this switched to bulk rail tanks in the 1930s the Siphons were found to be ideal for carrying other perishable goods like bacon and meat pies, because of their partly ventilated sides. It is surmised that the three bogie vans picked up at Trowbridge on the evening of 11 September 1964 were carrying parcels and “perishables” from the adjacent Harris factory. They had stood there loaded until 7.45 in the evening waiting for cooler temperatures and this also helps to explain why this particular train was a loco and coaches rather than a DMU. At Westbury the vans would have been added to a passing parcels train heading to one or more of the big cities – but which parcels train?
I was at Temple Meads for 70 minutes that evening and saw 4 steam engines and every one from a different class.
The 18.50 was a limited stop service stopping only at Bath Spa, Bradford-on-Avon and Trowbridge being allowed 65 minutes for the 28 miles, including 4 mins at Bath and 6 at Trowbridge. The train passed another steam passenger train between Bradford and Trowbridge. That was the 19.20 from Westbury to Temple Meads which stopped at every station and halt yet took only 49 minutes. It was an uneventful journey for me and the only thing of note was that three bogie parcels vans were picked up at Trowbridge. I think that these would have been loaded in the up bay platform and that 4992 would have left it's four coaches in the up platform while it collected the parcel vans and attached them to the front of the train.
The County of Wiltshire has been famous for its dry-cure method of curing bacon for hundreds of years. It was around 250 years ago that one John Harris opened the world's first commercial bacon factory in Calne which later had a branch line to Chippenham on the GWR mainline. His firm later became the well-known C. & T. Harris (Calne) Ltd and if one firm could be said to have popularised bacon it was Harris's. The firm had factories all over the West Country and beyond, including at Redruth and Totnes. One of Harris's Wiltshire factories was located just 100 metres from the forecourt of Trowbridge railway station.
The GWR and BR Siphon vans were originally designed for the transport of milk in churns but as this switched to bulk rail tanks in the 1930s the Siphons were found to be ideal for carrying other perishable goods like bacon and meat pies, because of their partly ventilated sides. It is surmised that the three bogie vans picked up at Trowbridge on the evening of 11 September 1964 were carrying parcels and “perishables” from the adjacent Harris factory. They had stood there loaded until 7.45 in the evening waiting for cooler temperatures and this also helps to explain why this particular train was a loco and coaches rather than a DMU. At Westbury the vans would have been added to a passing parcels train heading to one or more of the big cities – but which parcels train?
I was at Temple Meads for 70 minutes that evening and saw 4 steam engines and every one from a different class.
BR Standard Class 3MT 2-6-2 tank no. 82038 stands at platform 1 of Bristol TM with the 17.55 stopping train to Bath Green Park on Friday 11 September 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
5MT no. 73015 of arrives at Bristol TM with the 16.18 stopping train from Gloucester Eastgate. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Black 5 no. 44839 of 16F Burton Shed leaves with 3C on the 17.45 stopping train to Gloucester. Fifteen years earlier the engine had been based at Bath Green Park Shed. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
82038 leaves Temple Meads three minutes late. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
4992 Crosby Hall arrives at Temple Meads with ECS, probably from Malago Vale, to work the 18.50 train to Westbury. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Many thanks as always Mike, nice to see some photos of BTM in its heyday.
For more of Michaels work, please click here.
For more of Michaels work, please click here.
Re: 37037
Roger Geach
I had forgotten 37037 was preserved on the South Devon Railway.
This is another Eastern Region loco; for much of its life it was based at March from 1974 until it became one of the 37s moved to Scotland, to Eastfield depot, 3/1981. A regular in East Anglia and on the Cambridge line.
It stayed here until a movement to Thornaby 1/91, then to Canton 5/4/1992, then Bath Road 5/1993, when it would then venture to the South West.
I did see it on the 1/8/1994 in Cornwall with 37141 on 6S55, the much-missed Silver Bullets, so I guess others may have pictures of 37037 in Cornwall around this time. Not certain how often it came into Cornwall. Have others got some sightings?
Here is the loco in blue at Eastfield 2/10/1982.
Hope of interest.
This is another Eastern Region loco; for much of its life it was based at March from 1974 until it became one of the 37s moved to Scotland, to Eastfield depot, 3/1981. A regular in East Anglia and on the Cambridge line.
It stayed here until a movement to Thornaby 1/91, then to Canton 5/4/1992, then Bath Road 5/1993, when it would then venture to the South West.
I did see it on the 1/8/1994 in Cornwall with 37141 on 6S55, the much-missed Silver Bullets, so I guess others may have pictures of 37037 in Cornwall around this time. Not certain how often it came into Cornwall. Have others got some sightings?
Here is the loco in blue at Eastfield 2/10/1982.
Hope of interest.
37037 at Eastfield. The loco is now preserved on the SDR. 02.10.1982, copyright Roger Geach.
Many thanks Roger - it'd be great to see a photo of it on the bullets if anyone managed a shot!
Classic traction at Worcester
Steve Widdowson
37510 took 68023 out of Long Marston today (12.03.2026). 0N42 1232 Long Marston to DRS Crewe Gresty Bridge, seen in Worcester yard. Copyright Steve Widdowson.
Many thanks Steve, a colourful pair.
'Viking'
Bill Elston
Below are two shots of 37057 'Viking'.
37057 in large logo blue named VIKING unofficially named by Tinsley depot staff. Crediton, 04.08.1995. Copyright Bill Elston.
In EW&S red livery, Viking (name now official cast plate), is seen in Riverside Yard on 09.01.2000. Copyright Bill Elston.
Great stuff Bill, many thanks for digging these out.
37057 is still on the mainline serving its current owner Colas, and can be seen regularly in our region working the Network Rail test trains.
37057 is still on the mainline serving its current owner Colas, and can be seen regularly in our region working the Network Rail test trains.